Gaborone United last night overcame a one goal deficit from their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first leg loss to beat Elgeco Plus of Madagascar 3 – 1 in the second leg of the competition, to win the overall tie 3-2 on aggregate.
It was a result already ordained in the stars as the Gaborone side affectionately known as Moyagoleele was on this day celebrating their 56th birthday – having been formed on August 27 in 1967 in the city’s Extension 4 location at House Number 427 by Lesedi Community Hall.
On such a milestone day, The Reds could not allow anyone spoil their party, not even a team already leading them 1-0 and playing at their home turf.
A brace from Thatayaone Kgamanyane and another goal from Mpho Kgaswane were sufficient to ensure the Botswana side brushes off the scare of the first leg in which they lost 1-0 at the National Stadium in Gaborone.
Gaborone United will thus take on Supersport United of South Africa in the second round of the preliminary stage, with the first leg set for Sunday 17 September in Gaborone, while the second leg will be played in Pretoria, South Africa on Sunday 1 October 2023.
The winner of this encounter proceeds to the group stages of the competition. The match between Gaborone United and Supersport United will be their second in the Confederation Cup with Supersport overpowering Gaborone United in the 2014 edition, where Moyagoleele were beaten 1-0 in the first leg in Gaborone, before going to further lose the second leg 2-0 in South Africa.
The match between Gaborone United and Supersport United will be the second where a Botswana team faces a South African team in a CAF competition around the same weekends. In the Champions League, Jwaneng Galaxy will take on Orlando Pirates after the two sides also overcame their opponents in the first round of the preliminary stage of the competition.
It took Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy a very late goal against Vipers SC in Uganda on Saturday night to secure a place in the next round of the CAF Champions League.
On the night of the second leg of the tournament’s preliminary round, the Botswana side lost 1-2 but will be glad that in the first leg they were able to beat the Uganda side 2-0 at the Lobatse Sports Complex thanks to goals by Thabang Sesinyi. This has helped Galaxy to proceed via an aggregate score of 3-2.
By the last minute of the match this Saturday night, Vipers were leading 2-0 and hoping to push the game to extra time and perhaps even a penalty shoot-out. Galaxy won a free kick from which they scored through Gilbert Baruti in the 89th minute, breaking the hearts of the home fans who believed they were destined to beat the Botswana side.
Pirates proceeded to the next round after beating Djabal Club d’Iconi of Comoros 4-0 on aggregate. In the first leg, they won 1-0 while the second round played on Friday ended 3-0 in favour of the South African side.
Zakhale Lepasa’s brace and Patrick Maswangayi’s goal handed Pirates the win at Orlando Stadium this past Friday, while Maswangayi scored the only goal in Comoros in the first leg.
Galaxy and Pirates will first meet in Botswana on September 15 while the second leg will be played in South Africa on September 29.
The winner of the tie between Galaxy and Pirates will proceed to the group stages of the Champions League.